School Police: Friend or Foe?

Everyday I enter school through a metal detector. The student advocate takes a peep inside my oversized teacher bag placed on a desk next to the detector, and if I set off the alarm, I take my phone out of my pocket and step through again. Sometimes in the fall my Frye boots with metal cowboy like harnesses set off the alarm but I am not required to remove my shoes and repeat the process. I sign in, walk up the ramp, drop off my lunch in the faculty lounge, and continue down the hall past the school's police office, say a quick hello and continue on with my busy day. 

A few times there have been scuffles or full blown- fist flying flights, sometimes blood is drawn, water jugs are knocked over, and once or twice a teacher has attempted to step in. It isn't unlikely for garden shears or knives to be confiscated at the door because students 'carry them for protection and forgot to take them out of their pockets.' One time I stood too close while a student was maced and felt the crippling effects it has on every open orifice on your face. Despite popular belief from family and friends about what they THINK they know about Baltimore and Baltimore students, I have never felt truly unsafe in my school building. I know this is not the same for some of my fellow teacher friends in other Baltimore City schools and that devastates me. 

This post explores the presence of police in the school building- especially at schools like those in Baltimore City. My private, catholic school in Prince George's county that I attended during my own high school career had security guards in the parking lot- if that. I can't even remember if there was a police office at my second high school in MA, and I know for sure there weren't any metal detectors. A recent article in the New York Times discussed the influx of students into the juvenile justice system as a result of an increase presence of school police. I appreciate my school officer- in times of violence like fights, and in times of lesser need like a phone being stolen, and in fact in times of fun as he doubles as a DJ for our staff functions. As I reflect on the school police's involvement in disciplinary actions after reading this article, I wonder if we've ever made the mistake of being too harsh for non-violent offenses. The article suggests that a visit to the principal might be more effective than a trip to 'baby bookings' as juvenile detention is commonly referred to, yet sometimes after a referral goes unanswered from my administration I wonder, 'well what else are we supposed to do?' Even in times of violence... are there (there has to be) more wrap around or supporting measures to take than cold cuffs to the wrist? My students are much more prone to recidivism, having plenty of experience in the system before, and therefore I don't believe  throwing the book at them at each indiscretion is going to help or change behavior  and/or emotional problems. Clearly, we need to do more for these students in terms of social education like anger management, self control, bullying etc. By no means do I want to go police free, but I do think school administration and teachers shouldn't use the police as a behavioral management crutch because we're just too tired to think of a more creative solution. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/12/education/with-police-in-schools-more-children-in-court.html?ref=education&_r=0